This is HOT!
Hot-and-straight-off-the-presses information as the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2008 has been released today. And like the World Bank’s Doing Business report chances are you read it here first!
Jamaica is now, in 2008, perceived as being more corrupt with a ranking of 96.
Note that this is a fall from our 2007 ranking of 84, and an even farther fall from our 2006 ranking when we were ranked at 61, a fall of some 35 places over just two years.
Cursory analysis raises some questions:
- Which party deserves the bulk of blame for the increased perception of Jamaican corruption?
- Golding, in his HARDtalk appearance blamed previous perceptions of corruption on the outgoing PNP government, is the JLP government responsible for the new rise in perceived corruption and subsequent fall in our ranking?
Relevant questioning begins at around 5:30 in the video clip.
- Lastly, we rank behind Mexico in the newest 2008 rankings. Mexico ranked at 72 in the 2008 ranking, which ties that country with Trinidad and Tobago, among others. The situation in Mexico is so bleak and frightening that a very recent BBC poll found over 1/3 of Mexicans are considering emigrating as they grapple with the high drug crime and attendant high rates of official corruption.
Other results from the survey point to growing anxiety about drugs trafficking in their country [Mexico], which is the main transit point between Colombia – the world’s largest supplier of cocaine – and the world’s biggest market, the US.
- Thirty-seven per cent of those surveyed said the influence of the drugs cartels had made them think of leaving Mexico
- Drug trafficking was considered the second most important concern in their lives after corruption
Source: BBC News, Sept 22, 2008
Given the dire straits in Mexico and the perception among Mexican citizens; it is a profound statement that we could rank behind Mexico in this Transparency International study.
More detailed analysis to come as I dive through the study’s methodology.
My View of JamDown from Up So 
Both parties are extremely corrupt!! Nonetheless, independent of the study done by the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (TICPI), one will contend categorically, that the PNP wrote the case studies, hand book and manual on corruption, kleptocrats and kleptocratic behaviour and psychology during its administration and tenure over the last eighteen years. One does not need an academic study to inform or educate one in that/this regard.Undoubtedly, all Jamaicans of both political colours are cognizant as to the fact that KLEPTOCRATIC BEHAVIOUR & PSYCHOLOGY reigned supreme and was at its zenith, apex or apogee during the PNP’s tenure. Just ask the comrades!! Certainly, they will prevaricate on the issue, but they, the comrades all benefitted significantly from the spoils and largesse of the then PNP administration, by turning the coffers of the state into their own personal wallets, or, money pouches.That improprieties, shenanigans, malfeasances, shell-games, anancyism, bandoolooism, hustle, cronyism, nepotism, inter alia, are taking place under the JLP is not surprising, irrespective of the rhetoric/verbiage of transparency, equity, probity and rectitude. Jamaican politicians in general are corrupt, and indeed many of them enter politics to enrich themselves and persistently marginalize the poor and the wretched of the society. So, one should not be surprised vis-a-vis the perception index.Notwithstanding, one is of the perspective, that the possible rise in increased perception of corruption in Jamaica may be a consequence of the sundry pyramid schemes and Ponzi schemes perpetrated by groups such as CASH PLUS, OLINT, et al.The watch word a YAWD is LET OFF. Trust mi, yuh caan get nuttin dun, if yuh nah let off, because man and man a fi nyam a food.YAWD corrupt star, irrespective of which political party a run things.Nuff respect!!
I agree with Esteban about the rampant corruption here, but I disagree about process and form. What we mark as “corruption” didn’t come out of nowhere; it is “press palm” and “brawta” writ large. What is different now is that the opinion-makers are acknowledging its role in the instability of the country, and we are beginning to measure ourselves and any idea of “progress” by whether we can solve this problem. That kind of thinking just wasn’t the case 10 years ago.
It might SEEM that PNP has written the handbook – they have overseen large amounts of monies coming into the country for sure – but remember that “politics” has many layers and tentacles. Being elected is not the only criteria for access to power, or to misusing it. For example, members of the JLP have been significant obstacles to passing and enforcing important legislation, and have been quite barefaced about their refusal to be held by any standard that does not put more money in their pockets. Just ask Samuda an’ di one Vaz who Golding haffi keep pon a short leash.
You hear people constantly a beat up dem gum bout “morality dis an morality dat” but what we need to be talking about is what constitutes ethical behaviour.
Trus’ me, there is no sense of that anywhere – not in public sector and not in private sector. The people who run our institutions – that’s me and you – are the ones who make this corruption thing go round.
Its as simple as walking into the Customs building at NMIA, going to the desk to figure out how to clear a package, and being directed to purchase the form from the security guard sitting next to the office door of the chief customs’ officer. NOBODY thought this setup was a problem or set the stage for what was to transpire later. In the two hours it took to get one likkle wutless package from dem, I witnessed quite a bit of extortion and related foolishness; I left that office much poorer and quite, quite pissed, even after pointing out these issues to the chief customs’ officer. He was more interested in my credentials and availability than in what I had to say.
As long as nobody knows what is ok to do and not do, then everybody can make up whatever rules they want, flash the code “let off” an’ “man affi eat a food” and we comply. Well, sometimes we need fi ask is ‘o much food one man affi eat before him ‘top dip inna fi mi pocket. The PNP corrupt yes, dat is from day one. But dem do as much as we let them get away with, and I don’t think we have a clue about the difference between legitimate business and corrupt dealings.
So true Longbench!! So true!!
@ Longbench: You are entirely correct. My question is when will the people stand up and demand that effective enforcement systems be put in place to stop the security guard from selling the documents? When people suggest reasoned solutions they are dismissed as “stush” or “gwaany-gwaany.”
For the main objective of this blog I have to ask imagine what would happen if a robust media walked in and documented some of the extortion with hidden cameras and hidden microphones then ran a 4-part expose on TV with newspaper tie-ins. Wouldn’t they be able to garner big advertising bucks for that series? The solutions are available to us — we just don’t take advantage of them.